Although their logo is a ghost, there’s really no paranormal activity going on here.

Many businesses are braving this new social media channel, and are seeing some great successes. Snapchat is a real-time centric social media channel that adds to the personal vibe that social media brings. It can drive monstrous brand-building benefits to your business.

So, how do you know if your business belongs on Snapchat? In this article, we’ve outlined some of the main benefits Snapchat can offer businesses who dare to enter. It is up to you as a marketer, to weigh the benefits for your business with the resources needed to execute this channel, and then decide if and when Snapchat is a fit for your business. Even if your business is not ready to start a Snapchat account, it is always a good practice to keep your ear to the ground. Snapchat may become a channel to keep an eye on your competitors, and similar businesses to make social media marketing decisions.

Tell your story

One of best reasons to use a Snapchat account for your business is to portray your business image and tell your story. Updating your story regularly will continually remind our audience of your brand. Although you may feel your efforts are going unnoticed, you will creating top of mind awareness (TOMA) in the minds of your prospective customers.

Announcements & Features

Another huge win for Snapchat the friendly ghost, is the ability to create excitement around an announcement or featured item. It might be the perfect channel to launch a new product line or make big announcements pertaining to your business.

Customer Acquisition & Retention

Snapchat is a great way to reach your mobile-savvy audience. You can reward those who follow your business on Snapchat with mobile offers. Some businesses have used Snapchat to run loyalty programs by offering their current customers rewards for engaging with their brand through Snapchat.

Is your business afraid of the ghost?

Your business may shy away from Snapchat as a social media platform if the resources to benefits ratio is unbalanced. If you are working with a skeleton marketing team, chances are you are selecting the social media platforms based on what will drive the most brand benefit.

You will want to consider your target audience when making the decision to begin a Snapchat account. Snapchat skews much younger in audience demographics than most other social media channel today. And although the millennial audience can be the most valuable prospective customer, you may experience an uphill climb in gaining audience reach if your business does not mesh with the current Snapchat population.

The important things to remember when contemplating your business’s presence on Snapchat is not to fear the ghost, but to be very marketing-minded when making the social media platform decisions.